Damper mechanism



April 2, .1940' J. P. YocHEM 2,195,608

DAMPER MEcxANIsM Filed Aug. 8, 1939 lbr- T13. 9 KJ lpllllllllllllll. U

11. rlllllllllll,

4 Nl www Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES AeATlzNT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to control vmechanism for heating plants and is particularly directed to a dampermechanism for use in a hot air furnace of the type used in domestic heating systems. l

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a damper mechanism having a plurality of jointed sections which will permit the damper to be employed either in curved smoke conduits such as the secondary radiator of a hot air furnace or straight smoke pipes such as those used to convey the products of combustion from a furnace to a stack.

Another object` of the invention resides in forming` the damper with a plurality of baille they will offer a minimum of resistance to the passage of the products of combustion.

A still furtherv object rests in constructing the baffle plates of the damper mechanism'of such shape and size that when they are in fully closed positions, a small flow of smoke will take place over a tortuous path to slow up the movement of the heated gases whereby more heat will be extracted therefrom" and consequent economy of operation of the furnace effected. f

It is also an object to provide an operatin devic-e for the damper and to connect the damper plates to one another and the operating device in order that movement of the latter member will be transmitted to the former and individual attention of the operator to each baffle plate will not be required.

Another object rests in providing the above mentioned operating device with a graduated indicating dial by means of which the degree of opening and closure of the damper may be determined by the operator from the exterior of the furnace in which the damper mechanism is installed.

Other objects will become apparent from th following description of one form of the invention which has been disclosed in detail yin the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a secondary radiator or smoke ring of a furnace with parts broken away to show a damper mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention installed therein; v v

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the. smoke ring andthe damper mechanism and showing the damper mechanism in a substantially closed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the damper mechanism in an open position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view 5 taken on the plane indicated by the line IV--IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken through the smoke ring at the clean-out opening, the plane of this figure being indicated by the line V-V of Fig. 2; f

Fig. 6 is a front elevational View of the operating lever of the damper mechanism.r

Referring more particularly to thev drawing, the damper mechanism, while being illustrated as installed in the smoke ring of a. furnace, may be as readily incorporated in the flue leading to the outlet stack,4 This damper mechanism comprises a plurality of base bars I which are identical in construction, each having an ear 2 of 20 reduced thickness at each end, one' ear being disposed in a different elevation than the other ear.4 These ears are perforated for the reception of bo-lts 3 or other securing elements used to pivotally connect thebase lbars. At the central portion of the length of the base bars, they are each provided with'an upstanding extension 4 which is of a height substantially equal to onehalf of that of the `conduit for which the damper mechanism is designed.

The stands have their upper ends perforated for the reception of a horizontally disposed transversely extending'pin 5 provided at longitudinally spaced lpoints with openings for the reception of cotter keys 6 provided for the pur- 35 spose of limiting the longitudinal movement of kthe pin in the damper mechanism. Each of the pins supports for rocking movement a baille plate l, the rear surfaces of which in thisinstance are formed with transversely spaced lugs 8. 40 When the plates vare attached to the pins and the base'bars, the stands 4 are positioned in the space between the lugs 8. The pins 5 extend through aligned perforations formed in the lugs and those provided in the stands 4. The vcotter keys are disposed on ther outer sides of the lugs to maintain the relation of the parts when the damper mechanism is in use. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the length of the pins 5 is greater than the transverse widthl of the baffle plates. This provision is made to maintain the plates in spaced relation from the side walls of the smoke ring 9 or other` conduit in which the damper mechanisrn may be positioned.

Certain ofthe baille plates have the upper ends jacent the lever 25.

thereof formed with an upwardly directed ear EQ which is provided on its rear surface with a reduced eyelet Il. All of the plat-es have a similar eyelet I2 formed on the front surface, the latter eyelets being disposed in closer relationship to the fulcrum formed by the pins 5 than the eyelets formed on the ears I0. The stan-d l has been eliminated from one of the base bars and a larger stand I3 is secured to this base bar by a screw Id which will permit the stand to be attached after the base bars have been installed in the smoke conduit.

The stand I3 is provided at its upper end with l a `horizontally disposed tubular extension I5 having a reduced threaded outer end I6. When the damper mechanism is employed in the smoke ring of a furnace, the extension I5v is directed outwardly through the clean-out branch I1 of the smoke ring, the outer end of this branch being closed by a plate I8 held in place by a nut I9 removably supported on the threads of the extension I5. A second plate 20 is carried by the extension I5 withinA the branch for the purpose of precluding lateral movement of the extension in the branch when the damper mechanism is in use. The extension I5 is slightly reduced at its outer end to receive a dial member 2l having indications on its outer face for the purpose of informing the operator of the damper mechanism of the position of the baille plates within the smoke ring.

A shaft 22 is journaled for rotary movement in the extension I5 and has its cuter end made square to key an operating handle 23 thereto, the handle being retained in position on the shaft by a nut 24 threadedly kcarried by the outer end of the shaft. The shaft is formed at its inner end with a double arm crank lever 25, the outer end of each arm having an opening 2l; for the reception of a loop 21 formed at the end of a link 2B.y The opposite end of each link 28 also has a loop formed therewith which is engaged with the small eyelets I2 provided on the front faces of the baille plates ad- Similar links 29 extend between the eyelets` I I formed on the baille plates and the eyelets I2 provided on the plates remotely positioned from the lever .25. In the present instance, the base bar having the stand i3 secured thereto is disposed between two pairs of base bars on which the baille plates are supported.. This arrangement permits one section of the damper mechanism to be placed at one side of the entrance to the smoke ring from the repot of the furnace while the other set of baille plates is disposed on the other side. Thus, when the products of combustion pass from the combustion chamber, they divide, a portion passing to one side through the smoke ring and the remaining portion passing to the other side and joining with the first portion at the outlet flue. This construction of smoke rings is the usual type in hot air furnaces and the damper mechanism has been designed specifically therefor in that the base plate having the large stand I3 formed therewith is positioned between two sets of bars having the smaller stands.

It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that the baffle plates are shorter in length than the height of the smoke ring to permit some gas flow when thedamper is entirely closed. The plates are so .arranged that the space for this gas flow at adjacent baille plates will be disposed alternately at the top and bottom of the smoking ring which will cause the gases to move in a tortuous path. This feature slows down the passage of gas through the smoke ring and provides for a greater transmission of heat to the walls of the ring. IThe baille plates on the sections of the damper at opposite sides of the crank arm are disposed with their faces towards the crank arm to provide for adjustment in a similar manner upon rotation of the shaft.

vBy hinging the base bars to one another and connecting the crank arms and the baille plates with links, the damper mechanism may be employed in either curved or straight sections of conduit and since the damper is made up of a plurality of small sections, the mechanism can be inserted into the smoke ring of a furnace through the clean-out opening and assembled after being disposed therein. To limit the degree of movement of the baille plates, the indicator dial 2l is provided at either side of the pointer on the operating handle with a stop pin 3B.

While but a single form of the invention has been illustrated, it is obvious that many minor changes may be made therein such as adding base bars and baille plates or changing their shape without departing from the spirit and scope oi the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A damper mechanism for use in smoke conductors comprising a plurality of base bars pivotally joined to one another, an upwardly directed projection formed with each of said bars, a baille plate pivotally supported at the upper end lof each projection for movement about a horizontal axis, link means extending between said plates and coupling them for movement together, a pivoted crank arm having one end linked to one baille plate, and means for moving said lever to impart swinging movement to said' plates.

2. A damper-mechanism for use in smoke conductors comprising a plurality of base bars pivotally joined at their ends, an upwardly directed stand formed with each bar, a baille plate supported for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis at the upper end of certain of said stands, a horizontally extending shaft jcurnaled in one of said stands, a crank arm secured for movement with said shaft, and link means connecting the outer end of said crank arm and said baille plates.

3. A vdamper mechanism for use in smoke conductors comprising a plurality of base bars pivotally joined at their ends, an upwardly directed stand formed with each bar, a baffle plate supported for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis at the upper end of certain of said stands, a horizontally disposed bearing provided on one of said stands, a shaft positioned for rotation in said bearing, a crank arm secured to one end of said shaft, link means vextending between said crank arm and said baille plates,` and an operating handle secured to the other end of said shaft.

Ll. A damper mechanism for use in smoke conductors comprising a plurality of base bars pivotally joined at their ends, an upwardly directed stand formed with each bar, a horizontally disposed pin extending through the upper ends of certain ol said stands at right angles to the length of said `base bars, a baille plate supported for movement about theaXis of each of said pins, the length of said pins being greater than the transverse dimension of said plates to hold them in spaced relation lfrom the sides of the conduit in which the mechanism is disposed, a

about a lhorizontal axis on one of said stands,

klink means extending between said crankarm and said bae plates, and means for imparting movement to said crank arms to adjust said baie plates. Y

5. A damper mechanism comprising ay plurality of duplicative base bars pivotally joined at their ends, an upwardly directed stand provided on each of said bars, said stands having transversely extending horizontally disposed openings at their upperiends, a pin positioned in certain of said openings, a baie plate supported for pivotal movement on each pin, perforated eyelets formed on said plates in spaced relation to said pins, a shaft positioned in thev transversely extending opening of one stand, an extension provided on the last-mentioned stand, said extension projecting to the exterior of a. smoke conductor in which ythe draft apparatus is positioned, an operating handle secured to the outer end of said shaft, a crank arm formed With the inner end of said shaft, and link means for transmitting movement from said crank arm to said baiie plates.

6. Infa damperjmechanism, anodd number of duplicative base bars disposed in a row and pivotally` connected at their ends, a'stand extending upwardly from each bar, ahorizontally disposed laterally directed bearing formed with the stand on the base bar disposed equidistantly from the ends of the row, a `baflie plate supported for pivotal movement on each ofl the other stands, a shaft rotatably Areceived by said bearing, a crank arm extending from opposite sides of the inner end of said' shaft, a link connecting the bale plates at one end of the row of base b-ars with one crank arm and a second link connect. ing the other baiiie plates with the other crank arm, and an operating lever secured tothe outer end of said shaft.

'7. In a damper mechanism, a sectional longitudinally extending base, baffle plates pivotally lsupported by all but one of the sections of said base, adjusting means carried by the section K Without a bafe plate, and link means for transmitting movement from said adjusting means to said bae plates.

8. In al darn-per mechanism, a longitudinally extending base formed from a plurality of pivotally connected sections, baiiie plates supported by certain of said sections for pivotal movement about axes disposed at right angles to the axes of the pivots connecting said base section, a pair of oppositely disposed crank arms supported for pivotal movement about an axis disposed at right v'anglesto the axes of the pivots connecting said base sections, and link means for transmitting movement fromy one of said crank arms to ce1'- tain of said baiile plates, and additional link means .connecting the other crank arm with the rest of said plates.

JOSEPH P. YOCHEM. 

